Electric lubricator for lubricating the valves and cylinders of steam-engines or other bearings which may require oil



C; F. HOOFER.

ELECTRIC LUBRICATOR FOR LUBRICATING THE VALVES AND'CYLINDERS 0F STEAM ENGINES OR OTHER BEARINGS WHICH MAY REQUIRE OIL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1919.

1,372,881 0 Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

JIHIE'IIL [FIFTH l 56 i v 4 INVENTOR UNHTED El Q E.

CHARLES E. HOOFER, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

ELECTRIC LUBRICATOR, FOR, LUBRICATING THE VALVES AND CYLINDERS OF STEAM- ENGINES OR OTHER BEARINGS VJHIGII XIII-LY REQUIRE 01L.

ari/rear.

Application filed February 17, 1519.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. l-loornn, a citizen or" the United States, and a resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and the State of l Vashington, United States of America, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Lubricators for Lubricating the Valves and Cylinders of Steam Engines or any other Bearings lVhich May Require Oil, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lubricating systems of the type disclosed in my companion application Serial No. 2%,428, dated July 11, 1918, and the object of my present invention is to provide means whereby a lubricator may be electrically operated for delivering measured charges of oil into the steam chest of an engine against a fluid pressure therein.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide means whereby an operating throttle valve and an exhaust valve of the lubrica tor may be simultaneously operated at regular intervals by electricity.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of check valve in the oil discharge mechanism.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this ap plication in which Figure 1 is a view in section of the lubricator, showing the oil discharge pistons in normal position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on a line 66 of Fig. 1. s

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the check valve, and Fig. 4 is a top elevation of the same.

Fig. 5' is a top plan view of the spring supports shown in Figsl and 2. and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of throttle and exhaust valve.

In carrying out my invention I provide an oil retainer or reservoir 1, which may be made of any suitable material. but prefer ably of cast brass or iron, and it consists of one or more upward extending cylinders such as shown at 2 and 2. having a passage 4 connecting them with the throttle valve 5, the exhaust valve 7. Openings in the Specification bf Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Serial No. 277,618.

bottom of the oil reservoir corresponding with the cylinders 2 and 2" are adapted for securing the pump cylinders 29 and 29 each of which is provided witn the union nut 30 and a check valve casing 31. Electro-magnets 8 and 9 when properly energized by electricity of suitable potential, act to simultaneously open the throttle 5 and close the exhaust valve 7. Normally when the electro-magnets are deenergized, the springs 3 and 15 respectively close the throttle 5 and open the exhaust valve 7. The cylinders 2 and 2 are each provided with a piston 10 having a recess in its top face and a passage 16 connecting it with the tubular stem 11, passage 12 and the chamber 18. A plunger 17 has an extension for normally closing the outlet to chamber 18 and acts as a pump piston and plug valve for forcing the oil from chamber 18 into chamber 18. A check valve 14 is provided with a forked extension 19 which engages the downward extension of the plunger 17 when the latter is near the limit of its downward stroke. Normally the check valve 14: is held. upon its seat by the spring; 20. which is held in its respective position by the reducer coupling 21. The dispensing piston 10 is normally held in the position shown in l by means of the spring 22, which in turn is held in its respective position by the spring support 23. A downward concavity 24- and the plug 25 provide means whereby the oil may be drained from the reservoir. The cover 28 covers the opening through which the lubricator may be filled with oil, or the mechanism within the reservoir may be assembled. Lug-bolts 26 and 27 are provided for securing the lubricator to any suitable base.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the mechanism. the operation thereof may be readily understood. A luaricating fluid is placed in the lubricator or reservoir 1 through the opening in the top thereof. Normally the pluns ers 17 are held in raised position as shown in Fig. 1. Thus it is seen that oil is free to flow into the chamhers 18 and 18 but it cannot pass the heads 32 because the latter are comparatively c ose fitting in the reduced openings of the lower portion of the chambers 18 and 18 A source of fluid pressure is provided in the pipe 33, the opposite end of which may be coupled to the dome of a steam boiler. or any other source from which motive fluid is derived for driving an engine. Electromagnets 8 and 9 are interconnected with any suitable form of electric conductor, and when electricity of suitable potential is supplied to them by means as shown in my said co-pending application, Serial No. 2 lsl,4-28,

filed July 11, 1918, they act to simultaneously open the valve 5 and close the valve 7, thus supplying a fluid pressure to the top face of the pistons 10, forcing them downward and ejecting the oil from chambers 18 and 18 into passage 13 and forcing the check 14 open through engagement of its divided extension 19 with the head 32.

It should be understood that this type of lubricator should always have the pipe 38 connected to a source of fluid pressure having greater spontaneousness than any pres sure which might accumulate against the under side of the checlr valve or valves 1 1, as would be the case where the oil. is eing forced into the steam chest of an engine. Thus considering the tendency of the fiuid pressure flowing from its source through. the passages 16, 11, 12 and 13, it becomes ol vious that it will act as a piston against the oil discharged from the pump piston or pistons 18, driving it past the check valve or valves 14 to its final point of delivery.

Now when the electric circuit through the electro-magnets 8 and 9 is broken by any means of switch manipulation, the springs 3 and 15 respectively act to close the valve 5 and open the valve 7, thereby exhausting the pressure above the check valves 14, whereupon the pistons 10 and their component parts are returned to their initial position by means of the springs 22, withdrawing the plungers 17 from their respec tive pump chambers '18 and closing the outlets thereto by the plug valves 32, whereupon another portion of oil may accumulate within the chambers 18 and 18 preparatory to the next lubricating operation.

It will be noticed in Fig. 1, that the pump chambers 18 and 18 may be of various depths, which would alter the capacity oi. each, the object being to provide adjustable means for regulating the amount of oil dispensed. lhis accomplished by providing interchangeable dispensing nipples 29 and 29 in which the depth of the pump chambers may vary as shown at 18 and 18 while the general outside dimensions of the nipples 29 and 29 are uniform, and the pump pistons or plungers 1'? are adapted to operate with either form of dispensing nipple. The check valve casings 31 are also interchangeable, and the check valves 14 and 14? are provided with "forked extensions 19 which vary in length to conform with the depth of their respective pump cylinders, so that any set may be combined which will discharge the desired amount of oil. Using this construction the eurrent of out at will, while the others are in operation. 7

Referring to the modified form of throttle and exhaust valve, shown in Fig. 6: A

valve casing 36 is provided with an inlet' opening 3-ftto which a pipe 33 is connected for supplying motive pressure, and an out let opening 35 to wl'nch an exhaust pipe maybe connected. rt desired.

the casing. 36 to the passage l of the lubricator in which the plug'll closes the end opposite. An electro-magnet 3'? is'secured to the casing by means of tie threaded nipple 88, and when energized it actsto admit pressure through valve 410 and simultaneously close the valve 89. Thespring 1-1 held in its position by the cap 12 acts to reseat the inlet valve and unseat the exhaust valve when the electro-magnet 37 becomes deenergized.

The operation of the. modified form of throttle and exhaust valve is similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 except that where two electro-magnets are used in the former there is but one used in the latter. and the combination of the valves 39 and 40 with. a single electro-magnet, provide means for alternately opening and closing the throttle and exhaust valves respectively.

It is obvious that various modifications are within the scope and spirit of this invention, and I do not limit myself to the specific construction shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A nipple 4:6. in i 5"l tl (v11 apassage st 1S at ap ec b0 secure 1.. In a lubricating device, an oil reser voir, an oil pump, means for operating said pump by air, a supply and an exhaust valve controlling the operating air and electrically operated means for controlling said valves.

2. A lubricating. device comprising an electrically controlled throttle and exhaust valve in combination with a motive fluid actuated piston and anoil pump'piston connected together, and suitable cylinders for the said pistons, said pistons andtheir connecting member having a passage connecting the working side of the motive fluid piston with the discharge side of the oil pump piston.

3. A lubricating device comprising an electrically controlled motive fluid in combination with a: motive fluid cylinder and an oil cylinder located respectively at the upper and at the lower side of an oil tank and in alinement with each other, motive fluid and oil pistons fitting each their respective cylinders, a rod connecting said pistons and having a connecting passage, plug valve controlling the oil discharge and carried from the oil piston, said plug valve and both pistons having passages connecting with that of their connecting rod to convey motive fluid from the motive fluid cylinder to the discharge side of the said plug valve.

l. A lubricating device comprising an elec trically controlled motive fluid in combination with an oil reservoir having an opening in its bottom, a cylindrically bored plug secured in the said opening, a pump piston adapted to fit the upper part of said bore and having a stem extending in opposite directions therefrom, a valve carried by the downward extension and adapted to close said here when the pump piston is raised out oi its cylinder, a motive fluid piston carried by the upward extension of said stem, a motive fluid cylinder receiving said piston, said piston and pump piston, the valve and their connecting stems having a passage connecting the working side of the motive fluid piston with the discharge side of the valve, a check valve adapted to be engaged by the discharge side of the plug valve and means for conveying motive fluid and oil past the check valve.

5. In an oiling device, in combination, an electro magnet for controlling fluid pressure, an oil reservoir having a series of openings in its bottom and a series of plugs interchangeably secured in said openings, each plug being cylindrically bored, the upper portion of this bore being of greater diameter than the lower and serving as a pump cylinder, a corresponding series of pistons adapted to fit said pump cylinders, valves adapted to seat in the lower portions of said bores, fluid pressure cylinders alined with the pump cylinders, fluid pressure pistons and a stem connecting fluid pressure pistons, pump pistons and the valves in sets, said parts each having a fluid pressure dis charge passage connecting the working side out its fluid pressure piston with the dis charge side of its valve.

6. In an oiling device, in combination, an clectro-magnet, an alternating throttle and exhaust valve, an oil storage tank, an oil pump cylinder opening upwardly into the bottom of the tank and having an axial downward discharge opening, a pump pis ton having a stem extending downwardly and a valve thereon adapted to close the discharge opening when the piston is above and out of its cylinder, a spring acting to seat said valve, and a steam cylinder and a piston therein actuatively connected with the pump piston to act against said spring.

'7. In an oiling device, in combination, an tiGCtl'OlllflgDGt, an alternating throttle and exhaust valve, an oil storage tank, an oil pump cylinder opening upwardly into the bottom of the tank and having an axial downward discharge opening, a pump piston having stem extending downwardly and a valve thereon adapted to close the discharge opcning when the piston is above and out of its cylinder, a spring acting to seat said valve, and a steam cylinder and piston therein actuatively connected with the pump piston to act against said spring, means for controlling the stroke of said. pump to there by control the amount of oil discharge, and opening of the check valve, and a spring for normally holding the check valve against its seat.

8. In a fluid pressure lubricating device, in. combination, an electro-magnet, a source or" fluid pressure, an alternating inlet and outlet valve, an oil retainer, a fluid pressure cylinder integral with the oil retainer, an opening in the bottom of the oil retainer in alinement with the said cylinder, an oil discharge mechanism interchangeably secured in the said opening, a fluid pressure piston and plunger tor discharging the oil having a passage extending therethrough, a spring tor acting against the fluid pressure, a removable support for the spring whereby the oil discharge mechanism may be thrown out of use, interchangeable oil discharge cylinders of various capacities whereby the quan tity of oil discharged may be regulated, a discharge pipe for the oil discharge mechanism, a check valve in the oil discharge passage having a va ve cage and spring for normally holding the valve upon its seat, and a forked extension for moving it from its seat.

In testimony whereot I aflix my signature on this 10th day of February, 1919.

CHARLES F. HOGFER 

